Image forming device that performs an operation corresponding to a defect occurring in a fixing device at a desired timing

Abstract

Provided is an image forming device capable of performing an operation corresponding to a defect occurring in a fixing device at a desired timing. The image forming device includes a conveyance unit, an image forming unit, a fixing device, a motor, and a control unit. The motor drives the fixing device and outputs a signal having a magnitude corresponding to a value of a drive current. The control unit, when conveyance of a print medium is stopped and when the motor is driven in a first operation mode, continues to drive the motor in the first operation mode, and performs a first operation when the magnitude of the signal is out of a first range, and when the conveyance of the print medium is stopped and when the motor is driven in a second operation mode, stops driving the motor in the second operation mode and then drives the motor in the first operation mode, and performs the first operation when the magnitude of the signal is out of the first range.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image forming device, comprising:
 a conveyance component configured to convey a print medium; 
 an image forming component configured to form a toner image of a target image on the print medium conveyed by the conveyance component; 
 a fixing device configured to heat the print medium on which the toner image is formed by the image forming component, and fix the toner image as the target image to the print medium; 
 a motor configured to drive the fixing device and output a signal having a magnitude corresponding to a value of a drive current; and 
 a controller configured to:
 drive the motor in a first operation mode at a first rotation speed and a second operation mode at a second rotation speed slower than the first rotation speed, 
 when conveyance of the print medium in the first operation mode is stopped during a period from reception of an instruction to form the target image on the print medium to completion of the conveyance of the print medium according to the instruction and the motor is driven at the first rotation speed, continue to drive the motor at the first rotation speed and perform a first operation when the magnitude of the signal is outside of a first range in the first operation mode, and 
 when the conveyance of the print medium in the second operation mode is stopped during the period from the reception of the instruction to the completion of the conveyance of the print medium according to the instruction and the motor is driven at the second rotation speed, drive the motor at the first rotation speed after stopping driving the motor and perform the first operation when the magnitude of the signal is outside of the first range in the first operation mode. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven at a first rotation speed for a plain paper, and 
 the second operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven at a second rotation speed for a thick paper. 
 
     
     
       3. The image forming device according to  claim 1 , wherein the fixing device comprises:
 a heating component; 
 a fixing member configured to be heated by the heating component; and 
 a pressing member configured to come into contact with the fixing member to form a nip together with the fixing member, wherein 
 the first operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven while the pressing member and the fixing member are in contact with each other under a first force, and 
 the second operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven while the pressing member and the fixing member are in contact with each other under a second force which is different from the first force. 
 
     
     
       4. The image forming device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first operation includes an operation of outputting notification information including information indicating that a defect occurs in the fixing device to an information processing device. 
 
     
     
       5. The image forming device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a detector configured to detect whether the print medium passes through a first position on a conveyance path on which the print medium is conveyed, wherein 
 the controller is configured to determine whether a defect occurs in the fixing device based on a signal output from the detector. 
 
     
     
       6. The image forming device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the image forming component is configured to form at least one of a black image, a cyan image, a magenta image and a yellow image. 
 
     
     
       7. An image forming method, comprising:
 conveying a print medium by a conveyance component; 
 forming a toner image of a target image on the print medium; 
 heating the print medium on which the toner image is formed, and fixing the toner image as the target image to the print medium; 
 driving a fixing device using a motor and outputting a signal having a magnitude corresponding to a value of a drive current; 
 driving the motor in a first operation mode at a first rotation speed and a second operation mode at a second rotation speed slower than the first rotation speed; 
 when conveying the print medium in the first operation mode is stopped during a period from reception of an instruction to form the target image on the print medium to completion of the conveyance of the print medium according to the instruction and the motor is driven at the first rotation speed, continuing to drive the motor at the first rotation speed and performing a first operation when the magnitude of the signal is outside of a first range in the first operation mode; and 
 when conveying the print medium in the second operation mode is stopped during the period from the reception of the instruction to the completion of the conveyance of the print medium according to the instruction and the motor is driven at the second rotation speed, driving the motor at the first rotation speed after stopping driving the motor and performing the first operation when the magnitude of the signal is outside of the first range in the first operation mode. 
 
     
     
       8. The image forming method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the first operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven at a first rotation speed for a plain paper, and 
 the second operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven at a second rotation speed for a thick paper. 
 
     
     
       9. The image forming method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 heating a fixing member; and 
 bringing a pressing member into contact with the fixing member to form a nip together with the fixing member, wherein 
 the first operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven while the pressing member and the fixing member are in contact with each other under a first force, and 
 the second operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven while the pressing member and the fixing member are in contact with each other under a second force which is different from the first force. 
 
     
     
       10. The image forming method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the first operation includes an operation of outputting notification information including information indicating that a defect occurs in the fixing device to an information processing device. 
 
     
     
       11. The image forming method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 detecting whether the print medium passes through a first position on a conveyance path on which the print medium is conveyed; and 
 determining whether a defect occurs in fixing based on a signal output. 
 
     
     
       12. The image forming method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 forming at least one of a black image, a cyan image, a magenta image and a yellow image. 
 
     
     
       13. A control system for an image forming device, comprising:
 an image forming component configured to form a toner image of a target image on a print medium conveyed by a conveyance component; 
 a fixing device configured to heat the print medium on which the toner image is formed by the image forming component, and fix the toner image as the target image to the print medium; 
 a motor configured to drive the fixing device and output a signal having a magnitude corresponding to a value of a drive current; and 
 a controller configured to:
 drive the motor in a first operation mode at a first rotation speed and a second operation mode at a second rotation speed slower than the first rotation speed, 
 when conveyance of the print medium in the first operation mode is stopped during a period from reception of an instruction to form the target image on the print medium to completion of the conveyance of the print medium according to the instruction and the motor is driven at the first rotation speed, continue to drive the motor at the first, rotation speed and perform a first operation when the magnitude of the signal is outside of a first range in the first operation mode, and 
 when the conveyance of the print medium in the second operation mode is stopped during the period from the reception of the instruction to the completion of the conveyance of the print medium according to the instruction and the motor is driven at the second rotation speed, drive the motor at the first rotation speed after stopping driving the motor and perform the first operation when the magnitude of the signal is outside of the first range in the first operation mode. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The control system according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the first operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven at a first rotation speed for a plain paper, and 
 the second operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven at a second rotation speed for a thick paper. 
 
     
     
       15. The control system according to  claim 13 , wherein the fixing device comprises:
 a heating component; 
 a fixing member configured to be heated by the heating component; and 
 a pressing member configured to come into contact with the fixing member to form a nip together with the fixing member, wherein 
 the first operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven while the pressing member and the fixing member are in contact with each other under a first force, and 
 the second operation mode is an operation mode in which the motor is driven while the pressing member and the fixing member are in contact with each other under a second force which is different from the first force. 
 
     
     
       16. The control system according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the first operation includes an operation of outputting notification information including information indicating that a defect occurs in the fixing device to an information processing device. 
 
     
     
       17. The control system according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a detector configured to detect whether the print medium passes through a first position on a conveyance path on which the print medium is conveyed, wherein 
 the controller is configured to determine whether a defect occurs in the fixing device based on a signal output from the detector. 
 
     
     
       18. The control system according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the image forming component is configured to form at least one of a black image, a cyan image, a magenta image and a yellow image.